The Top 15 Game Trailers of the Decade

What makes a genuinely good game trailer? What kind of trailer gets viewers to ultimately play their games? Did the trailer properly portray the game as it was shown?
These are some of the topics that we will discuss in this top 15 list, as we show the best video game trailers of this decade. Sit back, watch some great trailers of games that helped to define this generation, and read to see if the games lived up to the hype that the trailers helped to create. Unless you have seen each of these trailers a thousand times and know them by heart, I highly suggest giving them all a watch. They are some of the best! So grab some Popcorn and enjoy.

Number 15: Medal of Honor Leave A Message



The Verdict: Medal of Honor was somewhat of a disappointment when it hit store shelves in 2010. Like the trailer, the game did focus on showing the horrors and dangers of war, but was torn between where its true heart was at. The overemphasis on unrealistic action sequences and boring scripted events swept away the emotional story telling that the developers were trying to portray. At least it scored better than Warfighter.

Number 14: Metro Last Light: Enter the Metro live action




The Verdict: While this game is still yet to be released, there is no doubt in my mind that this game will be good. The trailer depicts what it would be like when the world is on the brink of a nuclear war. Who will survive? How will people treat one another? Metro 2033 was one of my favorite gaming experiences of recent memory. The setting and atmosphere were so unique that it sucked you right into its immersive qualities. Check back in May for a full review. 

Number 13: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow E3 Trailer



The Verdict: Maybe I am sucker for Patrick Stewarts' voice, but when Cpt. Jean-Luc Picard starts talking I listen. Throw that in with some awesome gameplay footage and you have got yourself one good trailer. Not to mention the game was well done, so the trailer was an accurate representation of the finished product.

Number 12: The Last of Us Truck Ambush




The Verdict: Now here is another title that has yet to be released. Coming from the amazing developers at Naughty Dog we can rest assured knowing that this game should be wonderful. This trailer appears to be in game footage and sets the mood for the game. This is the post- apocalypse and people will do a lot for the supplies you have. We will also be reviewing this game when it comes out in the coming months.

Number 11: Black Ops 2 live action: Surprise




The Verdict: It seems that developer Treyarch has learned a lot when it comes to game making. They created a game that somewhat broke out of the new "Call of Duty" mold which has garnered much hatred for the series. Say what you will but this game was well done and much better than MW3. Maybe this trailer just rocks because of the AC/DC song, or maybe because the first guy you see in the trailer looks like me. Either way it sure is enjoyable to watch.

Number 10: Mass Effect 3: Take Earth Back




The Verdict: It's a tried and true end of the world formula. The aliens are coming to our planet and destroying our very homes and killing the ones we love. Mass Effect 3 may have elicited some controversy over its ending, but this trailer tugs at your heart strings. The game released to positive reviews and the trailer was based around the games story.

Number 9: Crysis 2: The Wall




The Verdict: Crysis 2 was no where as emotional as this trailer was, but it did portray an alien ravaged city pretty well. New York has been taken over by the aliens and plants are starting to over grow. Walls are littered with missing people photos. Crysis 2 was a great game that was placed in an interesting setting. The trailer did it justice.

Number 8: Star Wars The Force Unleashed World Premier




The Verdict: The Force Unleashed 2 was an okay game. It received mixed to positive reviews but was not quite able to be the game we were hoping for. It was redundant and had a pretty unimportant story. But still I will never forget the first time I saw this trailer. My friend and I had two things in our minds. "He's Alive!" and "What can kill a Rancor as if it were a bug?" This is a well done trailer. If only the game were better.

Number 7: Borderlands 2: Claptrap Ep. 2




The Verdict: I'll tell you what. Gearbox Software knows comedy. It can truly be difficult to be funny even when you are trying to. These promotional videos for Borderlands 1&2 are priceless. Claptrap and Steve have become fan favorites and you get to see plenty of them. I chose this episode as the one to show you, but I highly encourage you to watch them all. They are totally worth it. Oh, and the games were excellent and filled with the same great humor. No false advertising in these trailers.

Number 6: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim E3 Trailer




The Verdict: I can safely say that very few people who have played Skyrim had a bad time. One could find hundreds of hours of time absorbed in this open world masterpiece. The trailer showed one of the games key gameplay activities of fighting with dragons. The scenes showed the massive environments that the player would encounter all while playing some amazing music by composer Jeremy Soule. An epic trailer for an epic game.

Number 5: Halo 3 




The Verdict: This was a great trailer to get you pumped for Master Chiefs' final adventure. Although the game never had an exact situation like what was shown and the graphics were no where as good as portrayed, Halo 3 turned out to be a massive hit. The trailer is short but sweet, and never really gets old.

Number 4: Bioshock




The Verdict: Bioshock was an amazing game. No doubt about it. It was often tense and thrilling and always entertaining. The trailer portrayed one of the games elements: The Big Daddy and what he will do to protect the Little Sisters. The trailer was engaging and well done. Except I am not sure if you would still be able to stand and turn around after having about 1 foot of your spine severed. Oh well.

Number 3: Fallout 3 E3 Trailer




The Verdict: One of the reasons that I love Fallout 3 so much is because of the dark humor and 50's vibe. The two blend together in such a way that appeals to my inner person. Not to mention the huge, detailed world filled with enemies and new buildings to explore around every corner. The Trailer starts off with the great 50's style vibe that carries through to the rest where combat gameplay footage is shown to the song Dear Hearts and Gentle People by Bob Crosby and the Bobcats. This is one of the best games of the decade with one of the best trailers of the decade. Neither one should be missed.

Number 2: Gears of War 2: Last Day




The Verdict: It was a hard choice choosing between this trailer and Gears of War Mad World trailer. Ultimately this one takes the cake. The Last Day Trailer accurately portrays the pain and tension that Gears feel as they go into battle. Dom is searching for his wife. There is silence as they enter the deep abyss of Sera to destroy the Locust Horde from existence. Gears 2 portrayed that emotion much more effectively than its predecessor. Oh, and the game was darn good, too.  

Number 1: Dead Island

The Verdict: Dead Island, what can I say? You sure sparked some controversy. This is one of the best game trailers ever made. I would be surprised if the most callused of people didn't feel at least a little sad while watching this trailer. It tugs at your heartstrings as you see a family desperately struggle for survival in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. It is uniquely played in a nonlinear sequence to the sound of violins and soft piano. The only problem is that Dead Island had virtually none of the emotion that gamers were expecting. The game was still well done and is very fun to play, but an emotional train ride this is not. 

Thanks for taking the time to read through this article and watching these trailers! I hope it has been an enjoyable experience for you. Please share this with your friends and let me know what you think in the comments below! What are some of your favorite game trailers of the last ten years?

If you have any question feel free to ask and Follow me on Twitter.

Roger Havens- Tech Fixation Editor- @Afro_Gear 




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